Marketing the Midwest

The Midwest Flourish

Business EN ↓ 32 episodes

From workforce wins to economic development breakthroughs. its real talk with real answers from the leaders shaping our region’s future. Let’s keep the Midwest momentum going, and shape the future of our region—together.

Author

Marketing the Midwest

Episodes

Allie Sutherland on Why Childcare Is the Key to Workforce Growth in the Midwest | EP. 7 13.08.2025 29:07

Are we treating childcare as essential infrastructure? When Allie Sutherland moved to Indiana, she had a great job and two young children—but no access to childcare. In this episode of The Midwest Flourish, Allie shares her personal struggle to find affordable, high-quality care and how that experience led her to become the Executive Director of the Northeast Indiana Early Childhood Coalition. Dis...

How to Grow a Region: Ron Turpin on Strategic Investment, Workforce and Collaboration | EP. 6 06.08.2025 30:57

What does it really take to drive long-term growth in a community? In this episode of The Midwest Flourish Podcast, Ron Turpin—Chairman of the Northeast Indiana Strategic Development Commission and Allen County Commissioner—joins host Rick Farrant to discuss the three key drivers of regional prosperity: population growth, wage growth, and credential attainment. Ron shares how Indiana’s only legisl...

Making Manufacturing Cool Again: Terry M. Iverson on the Future of U.S. Industry | EP. 5 30.07.2025 31:46

Can we really bring manufacturing back to America and make it exciting for the next generation? In this episode of The Midwest Flourish Podcast, host Rick Farrant sits down with Terry M. Iverson, longtime machine tool executive, author, and founder of ChampionNow.org. Terry shares his vision for reshaping how Americans view careers in manufacturing. Highlighted Topics: - How ChampionNow and its “C...

Can Rural America Grow Again? Isaac Lee on Change, Housing & Broadband | EP. 4 23.07.2025 31:47

What does it take to help a rural community grow in the face of population decline, aging demographics, and deep-rooted resistance to change? In this episode of The Midwest Flourish, host Rick Farrant sits down with Isaac Lee, Executive Director of the Steuben County Economic Development Corporation, to talk candidly about what it means to lead economic strategy in a small Indiana county—and why h...

Edmond O'Neal on Preparing for Jobs That Don't Exist Yet & The Future of Work in the Midwest | EP. 3 25.06.2025 26:41

What does it take to succeed in a world where the job you’ll have tomorrow hasn’t even been invented yet? On this episode of The Midwest Flourish, host Rick Farrant sits down with Edmond O’Neal, President & CEO of Northeast Indiana Works, to unpack the fast-changing world of work—and how individuals, educators, and employers can better prepare for what’s ahead. In this wide-ranging conversatio...

John Paff on Purpose-Driven Branding and Campaigns That Work | EP. 2 25.06.2025 28:21

What does it take to build a marketing agency that actually makes a difference? In this insightful episode of The Midwest Flourish, host Rick Farrant sits down with John Paff, founder and CEO of Petra Strategic Communication, Fort Wayne Marketing, and Marketing the Midwest. From workforce development to regional branding, John shares how his team has helped economic development organizations, nonp...

Rachel Blakeman Breaks Down the Midwest Economy | EP. 1 25.06.2025 29:41

On this episode of The Midwest Flourish, host Rick Farrant sits down with Rachel Blakeman, Director of the Community Research Institute at Purdue University Fort Wayne, for a thought-provoking conversation about inflation, economic trends, and the real story behind Northeast Indiana’s workforce. From why data delays matter to whether Indiana is too reliant on manufacturing, Rachel explains how eco...